1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to metal golf clubs with inserts and, more particularly, to a wood type golf club investment cast of metal with thin walls and having a recessed area in the face for the receipt of an insert secured by adhesive and mechanical constructions.
2. Description of the Background Art
It has long been the practice to construct golf clubs of a shaft and a club head coupled together. The club head for wood type golf clubs is normally enlarged with a striking face for contacting the ball during a hit. The striking face is frequently constructed of an insert fabricated of a material different than the main body portion of the club head. In this manner, the majority of the club head may be fabricated of a first material by a technique to maximize strength and minimize weight. In association therewith, an insert may be fabricated of a second material, sized and shaped to maximize the forces transferred to the ball during the hit for providing the maximum propelling of the ball from the club head.
A wide variety of prior art patents disclose club heads with inserts including various techniques for coupling the inserts to the main body portion of the club head. By was of example U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,826 to Nishigaki discloses the use of alternating layers of material bonded or otherwise adhered together to form a unitary club head. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,188 to McKee discloses the use of screws and grooves for securing together a face plate with a main body portion of a wood type golf club head. Other patents of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,792,140 and 4,809,978 both to Yamaguchi which disclose golf club heads with inserts formed with dovetail peripheries and additional securement means including screws. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,437 to Anderson discloses the use of an insert with a projection positionable in a recess formed in the main portion of the golf club head and with the insert welded to the main portion of the golf club head.
Other patents of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,937,373 and 4,023,802 to Jepson; 3,975,023 to Inamori; 4,681,322 to Straza; 4,730,830 to Tilley; 4,801,146 and 4,812,187 to Honma; 4,917,384 to Caiati and 4,984,800 to Hamada.
No prior disclosure teaches or suggests the present inventive concept of an insert coupled to the main body portion of the golf club head through a ratchet type coupling, a dovetail periphery and an adhesive therebetween.
Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a wood type golf club formed of a shaft and head assembly, the head assembly including a hollow main body portion and an insert coupled thereto along the majority of its periphery by a dovetail to preclude lateral and downward movement of the insert with respect to the main body portion, the main body portion having a ramp extending outwardly from its face with the adjacent face of the insert having a recess positioned to receive the ramp thereby precluding the movement of the insert upwardly away from the main body portion and further including an adhesive coupling the insert to the main body portion.
Another object of the present invention is to couple an insert to a golf club head through a ratchet type coupling.
Another object of the present invention is to employ a locking ramp and a generally U-shaped periphery with dovetails for securing an insert to the face portion of the golf club.
It is a further object of the present invention to use an adhesive to couple an insert to a golf club in association with mechanical securement means.
It is further object of the present invention to fabricate a wood type golf club head more efficiently.
The forgoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.